218 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



you," turned slowly round, and, on passing the Great 

 Eastern, gave a ringing cheer, Avhich was answered 

 by deafening fhouts on the part of our men, and then 

 alone we proceeded on our eventful voyage. 



Descending from the bridge to look about me, my 

 first impression gave me the notion of a decent-sized 

 village. Around me were blacksmiths' forges, car- 

 penters' shops, all resounding with the hum of busy 

 workers. On looking at the live-stock on board, we 

 seemed like a large community seeking another home, 

 taking everything necessary for a permanent settle- 

 ment, with the exception of the emigrant's chief 

 blessing namely, a wife : for I need scarcely say 

 that none of the fair sex accompanied the expedition. 

 "We numbered nearly five hundred men in all, to 

 supply whose wants there were twelve oxen, one cow, 

 one hundred and twenty sheep, twenty fine Hamp- 

 shire pigs, and innumerable geese, ducks, and fowls, 

 and all these independently of hundredweights of 

 fresh and preserved meats. Nor must I forget to 

 include a black cat and a jackdaw, who often during 

 the voyage would perch for hours on the top of the 

 dynamometer watching the paying-out of the Cable, 

 apparently, with self-satisfied complacency. 



Some idea of the size of the vessel may be obtained 

 by stating that the length of the walk on deck, which 

 Ave named Regent Street, was exactly one-eighth of a 

 mile ; and here daily would the energetic Mr Cyrus 

 Field take his exercise before breakfast and dinner, 



